Two Dannys, One Message
by JBGilroy
Summary: Dash Baxter is having a bad day. Being an all-star quarter back isn't always parties and football. School work is just as important and as Dash starts to panic about getting an F, two people unexpectedly help him realise one F isn't the end of his football career. He's more than a failure. If he wants to be... (rating T just to be on the safe side)(one shot)


**This is a one shot focusing on Dash's point of view. I was reading a fanfic recently focusing on Dash and it inspired me to write this.**

 **It's like three or four times longer than I would usually have for a chapter but I wanted to do a one-shot. So sorry in advance if it's a little on the long side.**

 **Anyway, I don't own Danny Phantom.**

 **And so, on with the story.**

Dash laughed with his friends as they entered the locker room. Gym had just finished. It had been one of Dash's favourites, Dodge ball. Something Dash had really needed to improve his mood. He'd failed the most recent test from Lancer. He needed to pull up his grade ASAP or he was going to get pulled off the football team. However once his friends started to file out of the locker room, Dash couldn't help but feel that he really needed to be alone for a few minutes. He needed to clear his head and think about his problem. Then, once he'd gotten rid of that panic in the back of his mind, he'd take that frustration out on Fenton. That usually made him feel better. If only for a little while.

Kwan hovered at the door for a moment, waiting for Dash to grab his backpack and get up from the bench. But Dash shook his head at Kwan. His friend got the message and left. It was lunch next so Dash didn't need to rush off anywhere. Dash slumped forward, elbows on to his knees and pulled his backpack over to him and pulled out his test. The big fat red "F" stared back at him. Dash sighed and angrily shoved it back to the bottom of his bag.

It wasn't his fault that poetry written by some old dead guys from the 1800s or whatever was boring. He could always ask Jazz for more study sessions but that would mean he'd have to admit that he cared. He knew that high school were his glory days. He'd seen enough movies to know that the popular jocks always end up the drunks in the alleyways muttering about how they were the best quarterback there ever was. Dash shivered. It wasn't that he wanted that, but he was only good at football. What was the point in trying to deny that future? It was set in stone. Dash put his head in his hands and took a shaky breath. He needed to pull up his grade, but how? It wasn't like he was smart or that he had the time between the obligatory parties and football practice and the rest of his homework.

"Dash?" a hesitant voice called to him. Dash jerked upright. He was meant to be alone. He spun around to see Fenton looking at him nervously. His hair was still dripping and he hadn't put his shoes on yet.

"What are you doing here?" Dash demanded angrily. Fenton shrugged.

"I always wait until last," he answered. Dash didn't know that. Well, usually he was already gone, so why should he? Fenton walked over and perched on a bench near Dash and began to unlace his red and white sneakers.

"Is something wrong Dash?" Fenton asked as he pulled on his left shoe. Dash narrowed his eyes.

"No! Why would there be? I mean I'm Dash Baxter! All-star football quarterback," Dash retorted, hoping to sound confident. Fenton stamped his foot into his shoe to get it on fully and glanced up at Dash with a raised eyebrow.

"Could've fooled me," he commented and pulled his leg up to him so he could tie his shoe.

Dash reddened. It was embarrassing to be talking to Fenton of all people like this.

"There's nothing wrong Fenturd! Get lost," Dash growled. Fenton chuckled softly as he picked up his right shoe.

"Nice try Dash. How's the ankle? Looked like a bad fall," Fenton replied. Dash scowled. Yes, he'd fallen when that Manson girl had thrown a ball in his direction and he'd had to backpedal to dodge it. He'd slipped and fell. But he'd hidden his busted up ankle from Tetslaff. If she knew he was injured, he wouldn't be able to play in the game Friday.

"It's fine!" Dash snarled. Fenton shrugged and stamped his shoe on.

Fenton glanced up at Dash, not lacing up his right shoe.

"Dash, I saw how badly you were limping. You really should get it looked at by the nurse. Playing on it might make it worse," Fenton suggested. Dash folded his arms and glowered at Fenton. Fenton shrugged and pulled his right foot up so he could tie the shoelaces.

"But, I'm not gonna force you. It's your choice," Fenton decided.

"My choice? I have to play. Don't you get it," Dash shot back without stopping to think. Fenton paused.

"Why do you _have_ to play?" Fenton asked slowly. Dash cursed himself. Now he had to explain.

"I'm the quarterback. If I don't play, we'll lose and it'll be my fault. Same reason I need to come up with a way to pull up my grades," Dash explained and bit his lip. He shouldn't have said that but it came out before he could stop himself. Never show that you're weak! He was showing his weaknesses to Fenton. Dash got up to leave and Fenton followed suit. Fenton was closer to the door though.

"Dash, listen to me for a sec," Fenton requested. Dash glowered at him but said nothing. He had to go past Fenton to leave and Fenton had effectively blocked the door and for once, Dash wasn't in the mood to hit him to get him to move. Fenton took that as his cue to keep talking.

"Dash, you may think that you have to play football and win to be someone but you don't. Look at me, Paulina and Star call me "freak" every chance they get. You beat me up and call me whatever new nickname you think of for the day. I only have two friends, I'm not popular. But do I let that define me?" Fenton began. Dash narrowed his eyes. He had to admit, Fenton did have it bad.

Dash remembered a few years ago. Fenton had been quiet, nervous and often ran the moment Dash spotted him. But nowadays, he fought back. He never told any of the teachers, no nerd would dare, but Fenton pulled pranks and insulted him right back. Sometimes, Dash couldn't help but smirk at some of Fenton's comebacks, never to his face, but still. The kid had definitely gotten braver and a lot more confident. In fact, before, Fenton wouldn't have dared stand between Dash and the exit. In fact, Fenton would probably have run out of the room, first chance he got.

"No, because that isn't who I am. Dash, you may think that this is it. You have to win every game and then leave and then, I dunno, end up in a dead-end job or end up homeless. We've all seen the movies. But you don't have to, not if you don't want to. The only limitations we have are the ones we place on ourselves," Fenton continued. Dash scoffed.

"You sound like a shrink," Dash remarked. Fenton grinned.

"Guess Jazz is rubbing off on me. But it's true. Dash, if you want something, like a good grade or whatever, you have to work at it, yeah… but it is possible," Fenton replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But, I'm not going to force you to do anything," Fenton concluded.

Fenton took a step away from the door, allowing Dash to leave if he wanted. Dash didn't move though.

"Why are you doing this? This doesn't change anything, I'll still wail on you," Dash asked, folding his arms. Fenton shrugged.

"Hey, you looked like you needed help. Besides if we lose the next game because you're distracted by whatever's bothering you, then it would kind of be my fault. And I get enough trouble as is," Fenton retorted with a smirk. Dash bit his lip. Fenton was okay when you got talking to him. But Dash did have a reputation to keep. Maybe, he'd go easy on the geek for a couple of weeks as a thank you. See if any of his team mates noticed. If they did, Dash would have to go back to normal, but Fenton had really helped him out. The panic in the back of his mind had reduced a lot.

Dash looked up when he heard Fenton gasp.

"Oh, I…er… forgot to do some homework for Lancer. I gotta go!" Fenton explained and went to the door, pausing with his hand ready to push it open.

"By the way, your ankle. From what I saw, it looked like a sprain. Not serious but might be a problem for our quarterback. When you get a chance, ice it and wrap a bandage around it. Also, painkillers help. If it's still bothering you after the game, then I'd get it checked out properly," Fenton recommended. Dash scowled.

"Since when do you know first aid, Fentoenail?" Dash asked, a little harsher than he intended. Fenton smirked grimly.

"My parents are ghost hunters, Dash. You really think I've never had to deal with injuries," Fenton answered and then pushed through the door.

Dash was speechless. He'd never thought about that. Then he scowled in thought. Homework for Lancer? They didn't have homework for Lancer. Dash gritted his teeth angrily, Fenton had lied to him. But then again, Dash didn't really blame the nerd, Dash did wail on him every chance he got. Dash shrugged and picked up his backpack. Suddenly there were screams. Dash's eyes widened. It must be a ghost attack. Maybe he'd get to talk with Danny Phantom! Dash was just about to run out the door when he heard a yell from behind. Dash spun around and saw the ghost boy smack into a load of lockers.

He rubbed his head and scowled in the direction he came from, not noticing Dash.

"I really need to remember to keep him away from the drama props," he muttered to himself in his echoing voice. Dash was about to run over and say hi to his idol when a fat blue ghost in overalls floated through the wall. Cardboard boxes floated around the ghost as he grinned evilly at the ghost boy.

"You see, you cannot defeat me! For I'm the Box Ghost and-" the Box Ghost began.

"Yeah yeah, I know. You command all boxes rectangular and square! Seriously, dude you need to get better material to taunt me with," Danny Phantom scoffed and a blast of green energy erupted from his hand and hit the ghost in the chest. The boxes fell to the ground and the Box Ghost blinked in surprise.

Danny Phantom then jumped to his feet and pulled a metal thermos from his belt and pointed it at the ghost.

"Try to stay in the Ghost Zone for longer than a few hours this time. You're just annoying at this point," the ghost boy remarked in a bored tone and a stream of blue light spilled out of the thermos and engulfed the Box Ghost and pulled the ghost into the thermos, screaming the entire time. Danny Phantom sighed and slammed the lid on to the thermos and clipped it back to his belt. He turned to the boxes and walked over to them. He stacked them with an expression that said he'd done this a lot.

"Er… hi, Danny Phantom right?" Dash called to the ghost boy nervously. The ghost boy started and turned to Dash.

"Oh, hi. Sorry didn't see you there. You alright?" the ghost asked kindly. Dash nodded.

"That was so cool Danny Phantom, I mean you dealt with that ghost like it was nothing!" Dash complimented excitedly. The ghost boy raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Call me Danny. That ghost isn't too hard to fight. But he just can't take a hint and stay away," Danny replied and turned away from the stack of boxes.

"So cool, I'm on first name basis with _the_ Danny Phantom," Dash muttered to himself. Danny laughed softly, overhearing Dash's comment.

"Right, and yours is?" Danny inquired. Dash slapped his forehead.

"Man, sorry. I'm Dash, Dash Baxter. I'm the quarterback for Casper High's football team," Dash answered. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Weird way to introduce yourself," he commented. Dash frowned.

"What do you mean?" Dash prompted. Danny smiled softly.

"You felt that you had to tell me that you're the quarterback. I just thought it was weird. I mean, I don't go around introducing myself as Danny Phantom, Amity Park's protector. That's what I am, not who I am," Danny explained.

Dash blushed slightly.

"Yeah, but you don't have to introduce yourself. You're famous! I mean, you're like the coolest person I know," Dash interjected. Danny laughed.

"Famous or infamous?" he remarked a little bitterly. Dash frowned.

"What makes you say that?" Dash asked cautiously. Danny shrugged.

"I know how most people see me Dash. They see me as a menace. And that stuff with the robberies a few months ago hasn't helped matters," Danny answered. Dash's eyes widened.

"I never thought that was you. I mean, I thought it was the news trying to make you look bad. I've seen how you protect kids at Casper High from ghosts," Dash assured the ghost. Danny smiled gratefully.

"Was it you though? Since you brought it up," Dash ventured nervously. He was interested to hear the ghost boy's side. Danny shrugged.

"Depends what you mean by "was it me?". In a way it was, but in another way it wasn't. This human, ringmaster of Circus Gothica, Freakshow. He had a crystal ball that could control ghosts. He used ghosts to perform in his circus and then he used them to steal stuff. He got control of me. Not much point in asking me what he forced me to do though, since I don't remember most of it. But that's what happened," Danny explained. Dash nodded in understanding. It was the news making Danny look bad after all. No one had thought that maybe Danny didn't want to do the things he was doing.

"But you fought the Ghost King and saved the town. Loads of people know you're a hero now," Dash recalled quickly. The ghost grinned.

"Yeah, I guess. Personally though, I'm just relieved that everyone stopped calling me Inviso-Bill," Danny replied. Dash smiled uncertainly.

"So why are you in here alone?" Danny asked. Dash looked at the ghost before shrugging.

"Moping I guess. I ended up getting a pep-talk from a complete nerd. Pathetic huh?" Dash admitted. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I think that's pathetic?" Danny inquired. Dash hung his head and shrugged.

"Because, you're way cooler than me," Dash mumbled. Danny scoffed. Dash looked up and narrowed his eyes at the ghost. Here he was, being honest and he was laughing at him!

"I'm not cool Dash. You should see… er… should have seen what I was like when I was alive," Danny replied kindly. Dash stared at the ghost in shock.

"What were you like then?" Dash ventured, not sure if this was a difficult subject for ghosts or not. Danny shrugged.

"A nobody. Didn't have many friends. Got bullied a lot. Bad grades. The generic loser," Danny answered casually.

Dash stared at the ghost boy.

"No way, you're… you're," Dash stuttered. Danny smirked.

"Me," he offered. Dash nodded dumbly. Danny smiled encouragingly.

"That's the thing, Dash. I chose to be a hero after I… er after I died. There's always a choice. Cool… loser… jock… nerd. They're labels not who we are. Dash, don't let others define you. If you want something, go for it. What's the worst that can happen? Sure kids might laugh, but others might see you as a role model. I do what I do because it's right. I could've left after that fiasco with the mayor, but I didn't. The only limitations we have are the ones we place upon ourselves," Danny replied and phased down through the floor and came up under the boxes, lifting them into the air. The school bell rang.

"Now, I should get these back before someone thinks I stole them or something. See you around Dash," Danny concluded and phased through the wall with the boxes.

Dash stared at the wall for a few seconds before he turned to the door and heaved his backpack on his shoulder better. The only limitations we have are the ones we place on ourselves. Didn't Fenton say that? Probably just a coincidence. Dash shrugged the thought away. Maybe he could ask Lancer for an extra credit assignment and leave the party after the game early. He limped through the corridors and opened his locker and shoved books and pages inside. Dash stared at the big, fat red "F" on his English test and scowled at it. He wasn't a failure. He could do better. He knew he could, Danny and Fenton were right. Dash slammed the locker shut and considered going to the nurse after all. He shook his head and hobbled to the cafeteria for lunch. He'd just ice it later like Fenton suggested.

 **So let me know, what you think. It was my first one-shot. So sorry again if it was too long.**

 **I wanted to give Dash a dilemma that he found difficult and in the show he is shown to be a little on the dim side and shown to be fully aware that high school is as good as it's gonna get for him.**

 **I haven't set this at any particular time but I guess it could be set after Reign Storm.**

 **Not sure where the quote is from, I recalled it as I was writing. If you can place it though… feel free to leave a review and tell me.**

 **So, anyway, thanks for reading this.**

 **Until the next fanfic.**


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